The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

The thumb seems to live in its own reality. That's because it does. In this episode of the Rebel MT, Allison describes how the thumb is like a digit that has gone rogue and explains how getting to understand its plane of existence can help how you approach this funny piece of anatomy. Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassag...

Small, practical adjustments help your massage business run more efficiently, so you take home more of the money you earn. Tune in to this episode of  Business or Pressure to hear money saving tips, as well as how to generate more income. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of...

Have you ever noticed how clients talk about their pain? All too often people express negativity and even outright anger toward their bodies, which is counterproductive to healing. Join Cindy as she shares a simple method to increase awareness and encourage a healthy relationship and communication style when working with clients (and also yourself!) Host: After earning a degree in Sociology from I...

Join Kristin Coverly, ABMP director of professional education, as she asks four leaders in the massage and bodywork field, "What's your five-word piece of advice for practitioners?" Gain inspiration you can immediately apply to your professional and personal lives!  Resources: ABMP CE Summit: https://www.abmp.com/summit    ABMP Education Center: https://www.abmp.com/learn/    "A Field Guide to Col...

Planning how to spend and save money in your business is not always intuitive. Allissa walks us through some strategies for intentional spending and saving to keep your business sustainable. Host : Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/co...

A client was recently treated for colon cancer—and it didn't go well. She had surgical complications, a bout of sepsis, and more. She has substantial abdominal scar tissue, which is giving her a lot of pain. But after finding a massage therapist who is helping a lot, things are looking up . . . until she gets COVID. And now she's having a long, slow recovery. The highly educated MT wants a little...

Inflammation may not be romantic, but William Shakespeare was on to something. In this episode of The Rebel MT , join Allison as she merges the worlds of the repetitive strain disorder known as trigger finger (or stenosing tenosynovitis) and the form of poetry known as iambic pentameter into iambic digitorum pentameter. Host :      Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's w...

Understanding how small business taxes are filed and what information to gather in preparation is crucial for a smooth tax season. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines discusses the steps to help you be your tax preparer's favorite client. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a communi...

Assessment is a critical part of helping people who come to see you. Many people may have had some initial exposure to assessment in basic training, but have you really made it an integral part of your practice? In this episode of  The ABMP Podcast , Whitney explores the crucial importance of assessment and how it impacts your treatment success. It really doesn't matter if you are working in a cli...

The Gainful Employment rules that were released in October 2023 will likely impact clock-hour programs in states with minimum clock-hour requirements for licensure or certification, including massage therapy. Les Sweeney, president and CEO of ABMP, is joined by Lance Hostetter, director of government relations, to explain the 100% rule, the flaws within the rule, and potential advocacy steps schoo...

"How do I pay myself?" is a very common question from massage business owners. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines works through the theory and the methods for paying yourself first in your business.   Resources :   You Need a Budget: https://www.ynab.com/   Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find he...

A young client is comatose after a series of ischemic strokes. They have frequent painful episodes of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, during which their muscles become spastic and their heart rate and blood pressure rise. Their palliative care team wonders if massage therapy might help the contractures of their limbs, and the massage therapist is willing to try . . . but the results are unex...

What if self-care isn't about caring for the self but more about caring ABOUT the self? This is the self-care episode. In this episode, Allison defines the anatomy of care and what it means for you, your practice, and your clients. Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com                       Allison Denney is a certif...

Knowing where you are in your business is crucial to knowing how your business can grow. Host Allissa Haines discusses the four numbers to know to consider the sustainability of your business. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/c...

For most of us, seeing anatomy is the first step to understanding it. And anatomy understanding is an essential element of being a bodyworker. In this first episode of the three-part series " Your Practice in 3D ," we discuss the challenges of seeing the body in three dimensions and why so many massage therapists are heading to the dissection lab to study. Resources : Show Highlights: www.abmp.com...

Ayurveda is translated as the "Science of Life;" Ayus = Life, and Veda = knowledge/science. These principles and treatment modalities have endured over time. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Angie speaks with Dr. Sheila Patel, chief medical officer for Chopra Global, about exploring each person's Dosha type, the difference (and similarities) between yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda, how to clea...

Bookkeeping is the financial heart of every business. In this episode of Business or Pressure , host Allissa Haines covers why it matters and how to get started. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Author links:   Web...

Blood clots, legitimate concern about blood clots, and well-honed knowledge about blood clots are all part of our profession's requirements for safe practice, right? And over the years I've been doing I Have a Client Who . . . , I've received dozens of stories about blood clots in one context or another. Today, we'll look at yet another: a condition called Factor Five Leiden.   Resources:    Pocke...

Breath is powerful for a lot of reasons. But if we get down to the sticky details about the lungs, the important components of our soft tissue and how they interact, we could make a lot of comparisons to how this is similar to our abilities of resolution. In this episode of The Rebel MT , Allison does just that. Respiration and resolution, it turns out, have a lot in common.   Host:               ...

Women are often the primary caregivers in a household and extended families, and this can have a huge impact on our long-term financial health. In this episode of  Business or Pressure, Allissa discusses some factors to consider in balancing personal and professional needs. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Doug Nelson speaks about invalidation with clients, connection and the shared human condition, and the difference between validation and reassurance.   Host:   Douglas Nelson is Board Certified in Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Bodywork, beginning his career in massage therapy in 1977.  Seeing over 1,200 client visits annually for decades, he is also the owne...

It's a new year, and Darren Buford is joined again by Amy Andrews McMaster to discuss how a regulated nervous system is essential to having a brave conversation, some of the causes of a dysregulated nervous system, and how self-regulation plays an important role in a massage therapist's career. Amy Andrews McMaster is a leadership coach, consultant, and workshop facilitator. She has worked with sc...

A cancellation policy is standard for service businesses. But what should it be? Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines provides plenty of ideas and options to craft the policy that best suits you. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist, business owner, and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital....

The low back has, oh, so many parts and, oh, so many possibilities for both function and dysfunction. For this episode of The Rebel MT , Allison compares the low back to silly putty, a flower, a puppet master, and deep space. In any instance, getting to know this event horizon of our anatomy is the key to helping clients whose low back has morphed into a black hole.   Host :                   Cont...

A client has a rare condition that might impact her ability to receive massage. A brief look shows no special cautions, but a deeper look reveals some important questions to ask. In this episode Ruth takes listeners along for the treasure hunt for useful information—not just for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, but for your future use when you have a client with a condition you've never heard of.  ...